Queen Elizabeth I

We all know the current British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who has been wearing the crown since 1953. Although she was named after her mother, the existence of Queen Elizabeth I (pictured above) goes back centuries to the 1500s. She was the Queen of England and Ireland between 1558 and 1603.

Often referred to as “the Virgin Queen” (due to never marrying or having children), Elizabeth I was on the throne when England won against the Spanish Armada in 1588, relating her name to one of the biggest victories in English history. She also placed Protantism in the country and maintained a peaceful and flourishing nation until her passing in 1603.